Frank Costanza

Frank Costanza

10
    Seinfeld
Photo Credit: Everett Collection

Character Analysis

(Avoiding Spoilers)

Living... in New York with his wife, Estelle. They live close to their adult son, George, who feels obligated to visit on a regular basis – even living back at home occasionally. George’s frequent presence offers Frank a great outlet to express his constant frustration, at least when Frank tires of squabbling solely with Estelle.

Profession... retired. Frank hasn't had a formal job in a while but is always coming up with get-rich-quick schemes, often in collaboration with George's friend Kramer. Their most successful idea was the invention of a bra for men called the "bro" (or the “man-ziere”), which was nearly purchased by a clothing company. But true to form, the deal was thwarted by Frank's temper after he got in a shouting match with the company representative.

Interests... collecting old editions of “TV Guide” and inventing holidays. Frank pioneered an alternative to Christmas that he calls Festivus. Perfect for an aggressive and aggravated man like Frank, Festivus features the "airing of grievances" in which participants tell each other how the others have wronged them over the past year; and "feats of strength," in which Frank essentially wrestles George into submission. As Frank puts it, “It's Christmas for some, a Festivus for the rest of us!"

Relationship Status... married to Estelle for decades. Nearly all of their interactions are intense arguments and disagreements on even the most banal issues. They went through a brief period of separation, which George vehemently opposed, worrying about having to spend twice as much time to visit them individually. But Frank and Estelle stuck together, perhaps too accustomed to each others' company to remain apart.

Challenge... controlling his anger. Immediately upon any slight feeling of discomfort, Frank loses his cool and is prone to verbal and physical altercation. And he doesn't discriminate his victims, even threatening his son's friend Elaine when their conversation takes a turn for the worse: “You want a piece of me?! YOU GOT IT!”

Personality... extremely opinionated. He likes to have things his way. He is quick to feel put-upon and jump to conclusions about others’ motives, typically assuming the worst. But he is trying to get better. On a recommendation from a relaxation cassette, Frank begins chanting, "Serenity now, serenity now" when he feels his blood pressure rising. More accurately, he shouts “Serenity Now!” with palpable rage, but at least it's a start.

Recommendations

Fans of him also like:

Find out how you match to him and 5500+ other characters